'1st Blue Sky Day Commemoration' Video Message
"Solar and Wind Power to Triple by 2025"
"1.13 Million Electric Cars and 200,000 Hydrogen Cars to be Deployed Within 5 Years"
President Moon Jae-in delivered a commemorative speech via video on the 7th to mark the 1st 'Blue Sky Day.' 'Blue Sky Day' is the first UN commemorative day established at South Korea's proposal. President Moon Jae-in stated on the 7th, "Including the four outdated coal power plants that have already been closed, we will shut down a total of 10 plants during my term, and in the long term, we will close an additional 20 plants by 2034."
In a video message broadcast live online during the '1st Blue Sky Day Commemoration Ceremony,' President Moon announced, "We will strengthen policy measures to simultaneously reduce greenhouse gases and fine dust."
'Blue Sky Day' is a national holiday and a UN official commemorative day, first proposed by South Korea and adopted by the UN General Assembly last year. It is the first time that South Korea has proposed a commemorative day to the UN that was established as an official UN day. The UN and the South Korean government plan to commemorate 'Blue Sky Day' annually on September 7 starting this year.
In his commemorative speech, President Moon emphasized that environmental issues such as fine dust, natural disasters caused by abnormal weather, and the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are all linked to the climate and environmental crisis, and he presented countermeasures.
President Moon said, "We will accelerate the transition to clean and safe energy," adding, "Solar and wind power facilities will be expanded to more than three times last year's capacity by 2025."
He continued, "We will establish a power supply system that reflects climate and environmental costs and will gradually shift the fossil fuel-based power system to a renewable energy-based system in the long term."
He also promised to expand the distribution of electric vehicles and hydrogen cars and to build a smart power platform.
President Moon stated, "By 2025, the number of electric vehicles will increase from the current 110,000 to 1.13 million, and hydrogen cars will expand from 8,000 to 200,000."
He added, "We will distribute 'intelligent power meters' to 5 million apartment units to build a smart power platform and expand green living infrastructure that improves energy efficiency through green smart schools and smart green cities."
He reaffirmed his determination to turn the climate and environmental crisis into an opportunity for economic growth.
President Moon said, "Since the clean air industry is expected to grow at an annual rate of around 7%, the government will expand R&D investment in environmental technology and strategically support companies with competitiveness in eco-friendly vehicles and fine dust technologies to lead the global market."
President Moon Jae-in delivered a commemorative speech via video on the 7th to mark the 1st 'Blue Sky Day.' 'Blue Sky Day' is the first UN commemorative day established at South Korea's proposal.
Furthermore, he pledged to fulfill the role of a responsible middle power by leading international cooperation to respond to the climate and environmental crisis.
President Moon said, "To transition to a carbon-neutral society, we will prepare the nation's 2050 long-term low-carbon development strategy by the end of this year and renew the national greenhouse gas reduction target for 2030 to submit to the UN," adding, "We will also strengthen regional cooperation to reduce fine dust."
He emphasized, "Taking advantage of the 'P4G Summit' scheduled for next year, we will seek practical cooperation with major countries, and as the first proposer of 'Blue Sky Day,' we will continue to make our best efforts for international cooperation toward clean air and blue skies."
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